Gaming by Miksa

Borderlands

2010-02-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

Lewt me baby, one more time...

Shiny!

Grinding (that never ending cycle of repetitive actions for the sake of rewards) has recently flourished as a gameplay addition in almost all segments of gaming. Not that It wasn't present before (we had it portioned in tiny segments in almost all genres of games). However, with the enormous rise of the MMO culture in the past decade or so, some developers have started to develop games with griding encased in their essence.

Apart from MMORPG's which are prime promoters of the "quest/reputation/raid - grind" idea, this segment has started to implement itself in many other genres as well. RPG's are especially prone to it's "benevolence" and the last to have fallen to its seductive powers is Borderlands - the very game that will be the topic of this review. Now I must point out that I have nothing against games and genres (in particular) that base themselves around repetition with the promise of better loot. All that "grind talk" from early on was to introduce the healthy (or unhealthy) influence on the game itself which you might experience after you decided to try it out.

Yeah, I learned the true meaning of "Borderlands" the hard way... sigh...

In essence, Borderlands is a first person shooter with roll playing elements and a grind system that will drive players forward by acquiring better items for their character. It's a well developed and pretty straight forward formula and it's proven many times over by its successful and very famous... uhm, "users" (Diablo and World of Warcraft come to mind). My own definition of Borderlands would be "Diablo with guns in a Mad Max setting." And it fits pretty well. There are tons of different items and equipment you get from doing quests or slain enemies (or hidden chests); the quests are given through a standard (yet humorous) texts and the enemies are pretty much a variation of road riders with baseball masks.

The story revolves around a mysterious, alien built "Vault" on the distant planet of Pandora which has been a target of many treasure ("vault") hunters, including the four main protagonists. You get to choose one of those "bastards" for the upcoming journey. There's the Hunter - a sniping specialist who has a birdy as his special ability; Lilith - a siren that is great with SMG's and has the power to phase walk; Brick - a self explanatory name for a 10 foot tall berserker who can bash the living hell out of enemies with his fists; Soldier - the most balanced class of all who can deploy a turret to mow down enemies. This is of course, the description given in the selection menu (well, more or less) and to be honest, there isn't a penality (or a bonus) for using just one class of weapons that will make you choose one class over the other. Well, OK, the special abilities do represent a certain... ehm, trait, in the whole gameplay process but I don't think it will matter that much once you find your first shotgun.

Weird Angel Lady... get off my screen!

Once you've chosen your class you get this weird message from an "angel lady" who claims that the Vault is real and that she will guide you to it. Then you get off the bus, receive your brand new GUI and finally, you are ready to shoot things. That's not to say shooting is what you will always do. Quests are the integral driving force of the gameplay and the progression is bound to them. Quests give experience which you will (naturally) need for leveling up. Each level grants you more health and also, special points which you can use to upgrade your abilities. Each class has three skill trees with unique special abilities. Some special class items further complement skills and are very useful later on in the game. Back to quests-town, you will get a simple variety and some cleverly written texts that will usually make you got shoot someone for his possession, scavenge for missing parts, find the missing person, resolve a dispute (by shooting the other party) and a varietion between the three.

The main problem with quests is closely tied to the level up system. It's due to leveling up so fast that some quests quickly become obsolete and there's really no point of going back to complete them. Also, while some quests are truly inspiring with the whacky objectives and cleaver use of in-game mechanics, some are repeated far too often, while some will make you constantly go from one place to another just for the sake of one objective out of many. It gets tedious very fast. Another complaint I have with quests is their immortal opposition to be permanently abandoned. I finished the game with two level 40 characters yet I still have quests in my quest book from the early levels. To make matters worse, there's this little robot that constantly reminds you of the quests you have missed in a very irritating voice. I have left those damned quests with a reason: "stop reminding me, god damn it!"

"It be causing explosions mon!"

When it comes to shooting, Borderlands really shines. There's this "unhealthy" amount of guns, rifles, snipers, shotguns, revolvers, rocket launchers, SMG's, alien weaponry, grenades and shields which is a real treat if you are in for the loot. Each weapon looks different and handles different. Revolvers are powerful but slow; repeater pistols are fast but drain ammo instantly and aren't that precise; SMG's are fast and carry lots of ammo but their punch isn't that strong; combat rifles are well balanced and can offer both accuracy and high amount of damage; shot-guns can be either fast or slow but either way they deal massive damage on expense of their poor accuracy; alien weapons, rocket launchers and snipers do massive damage but are limited to slow reload time and (apart snipers) poor aiming. Add up variations of different aiming mods, firing speed and reloading speed, as well as elemental damage (fire, electricity, corrosive or explosive) and you get an arsenal that will satisfy even the greediest loot lovers in the universe.

The rest of the equipment doesn't come in short supply either. Shields for instance, are integral part of the arsenal and provide a "punching bag bar" for your character. Each shield can have a variety of additions, depending on the quality (slow health regeneration, resistance to elemental damage, etc). There's also this cleaver mechanic which makes shields essential in firefights, and it's called Second Chance. Each time you get pinned down by a larger number of enemies (or a grenade form a cowardly bandit) you go in a prone mode in which you have to kill an enemy for a short period of time. If successful, you are given a second chance and your shields are up to 100 %. Should you fail, you are given a trip to that reassembly station for another go... oh, yeah, you pay a fine each time you die, and it gets greedier with each level.

Faster than a speeding bullet. More fragile than your average glass window. It's your ride in Borderlands!

And you will die, at least early on in the game. Higher level enemies will be your usual judicators, as well as grenades launched by enemies that happen to own a friggin satellite navigation system that can spot your puny little vehicle from 10 miles away. The latter becomes a real problem since during the majority of the missions you will be driving from one part of the map to the next (and did I mention that the maps are quite big). So, you will have no other choice than to drive fast (squeezing the last tip of juice from the nitro boost), praying that you will just squish couple of bad guys and run the hell out. Though the vehicle isn't badly equipped (comes either with a rocket launcher or a gatling gun) the main problem I had with it it's the weird controls. You are using your mouse to steer (and shoot at the same time) and your keyboard to speed it up. It's weird and it handles pretty badly. Oh, it also cripples the experience rate from killing enemies by half so... yeah.

Not that you will have problem finding enemies of course. The damned buggers respawn each time you enter a zone (and I wouldn't have it any other way - Diablo style!). As for the variety, you will get plenty of those Bandits and Psychos which are particularly fond of getting shot mainly because the game is freaking full of them. Seriously, if you can find one game that has a Bandit on every square kilometer, then it's gotta be Borderlands. From start to finish, you will be shooting at lots and lots of them: either for a quest or loot, or just for the plain fun of squishing their bodies with your vehicle. They came in all shapes and sizes (literally) and mainly deviate between melee attackers (Psychos) and ranged ones (Brutes, Raiders, etc). The rest of the enemies are the usual mix of wildlife (Skags, Mutated Ants) as well as some militaristic units which join the frail later on in the game. The game is also filled with Boss (or Badass) types of enemies which serve as tougher challenges which, you might think offer a better variety of loot, but similarly to that randomized system seen in Diablo, tougher enemies don't always drop the shines you all so crave for. Overall, enemies do offer some kind of resistance and some can even prove to be a bit tough to crack at first (due to their natural resistances to elemental damage) but with the proper combination of grenades and weapons, they won't stand for long.

"There is bandits everywhere, and with all that romantic atmosphere, disaster's in the air..."

From a purely artistic stand point, Borderlands presents itself through an interesting graphic-like filter through which the world and all it's inhabitants feel like a comic book come alive. The animation is superb though there are some minor glitches with fallen enemies over-clipping with terrain textures and a small variety of invisible walls. The sounds and audio commentaries you will come across while playing are with excellent quality, especially the audio logs which easily stand out as both humorous and well written.

I wanted to include the first DLC for Borderlands, The Zombie Island of Dr.Ned with this review but I just realized how different these two "incarnations" of the game are. That's why I will make this as my closing statement, saying that Borderlands is indeed a treat for every loot lower out there that shines with it's presentation and variety of weapons and enemies, while being troubled by mild repetition and some small technical hick ups. As for the DLC, stick around for I plan to review it in the upcoming period.

F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin

2010-02-11T08:08:00.000-08:00

Fear Alma (not)

Boooo!

There are several games I can mention that managed to scare the living hell out of me. One of those games was F.E.A.R. a tactical first person shooter by Monolith. Many players might remember FEAR as one of the first titles (after Max Payne) that utilized the use of the slow-motion trigger which obscured the movement of your enemies, while letting you move faster and go on a sudden killing spree.

I for one, remember FEAR best by it's scary set pieces that were implemented in half deserted locations, best represented by menacing half open doors, broken windows, blinking lights and loud footsteps. That is of course, if I exclude the encounters with that little girl named Alma (obviously inspired by the same little protagonist from the "The Ring"). Unlike her big screen counter-part, Alma had this nasty habit of being a psychic experiment gone wrong that controlled a psychic army of psychic clones and used the best of her abilities to screw the player around (literally). Part of her daily harassment policy consisted of sudden burst of objects in the near vicinity of the player - partially demonstrating the excellent physics engine of the game and partially making you painfully aware that you will not leave through another heart attack.

The story in a nutshell was the typical "revenge of the enraged experiment" which we have seen so many times before, though there was this sudden twist involving the connection of the main protagonist with Alma that kept things at least a bit unfamiliar in the end. What made the game so unique and interesting was the winning combination of subtle horror atmosphere and intense action (against the rather unusually cleaver AI), presented through shining new engine and menacing sound effects.

It all began here...

The game wasn't without flaws of course. While the levels felt as claustrophobic and derailed as possible, the pacing seemed to vary greatly from one mission to the next. This was bound the lost sense of progression, a fact backed up by the the small variety of enemies. Also, after some time spent on the main campaign, you could anticipate when a scary piece was about to be unveiled, usually by the sudden "mute" from the environment and the shortage of spawning enemies. This was a big minus since, as a game that pictured itself as a "horror oriented," knowing when you will get scared isn't the best selling point. However my biggest complaint was tied to the representation of the main character - the voiceless Point Man. While it is OK to have a mute character in a FPS (Half Life proved that several times over) there must be at least some level of interaction with the supporting cast in order for some identification to be established. FEAR seemed to neglect all that by throwing in the "hey buddy" phrase in a mission briefing, which sounded pretty cheap and also made me feel like some scrub being instructed in Boot Camp.

Several years later and couple of name changes (along with a courtroom drama between Sierra, Monolith and Warner Brothers) F.E.A.R.2: Project Origin finally resurfaced, restarting the previously established plot in Extraction Point and Perseus Mandate, the two expansions for F.E.A.R 1. In their defense, Monolith developers claimed that Project Origin is the original direction which they wanted F.E.A.R. to be taking in the first place.

"Look at the sky. It's a bird! No it's a plane. Seriously, it's a plane..."

Following the catastrophic ending of the first game, where Point Man witnessed the "boom" of a tactical nuke in front of his helmeted eyes, the sequel kicks in with a new protagonist named Michael Becket. The unfortunate champ is a member of an armed organisation that is tasked to take into custody elite members of the Armacham Corporation, previously known as the bastards who enraged Alma and created all those Replica clones from F.E.A.R. 1. Of course, things go bonkers quickly as Armacham mercs swarm the place in order to erase evidence, while Alma (all grown up now) is ready to share her love with the world.

Through the course of the game Becket will sometimes join arms with members of his scattered team. Unfortunately these segments are heavily scripted and are usually boiled down to achieving simplistic objectives which don't really add up anything new to the overall experience. What is worse, each members gets mowed down by Alma in the same way, which makes you ache for a chance to yell at your comrade who "just happen to see a young girl that needs help."

Stranded by snipers... typical...

The story takes you on a trip around the ruined city in search for a way to disarm the psychic powers of the ever present Alma, while dealing with all manners of old and new types of enemies. The main storyline is composed of several sections which takes place in ruined buildings, underground laboratory, an abandoned primary school, a hospital, a city subway and an old nuclear reactor. Each location is nicely varied and depicts the dull and claustrophobic atmosphere of the first game. However, the horror elements have been dumbed down significantly, especially by adding ghosts and other superficial beings that act more like aggressive shooting targets than a scary set-piece. Even slammed doors and weird echoes of the ventilation system are not what they used to be. Every now and then, Alma appears and tries to bite you, kiss you or whatever, and you have to push her back by using the left mouse button. Rather unusual and tiresome way which showcases the developers lack of ideas for new horror elements.

The firefights are still a blast though. Becket gets to try the enhanced reflex system (or what we normal people call "the slow motion") for himself, again turning action into a slow-mo massacre. Hence, the weapons feel a bit overpowered, but handle great and it's a thrill to just keep the trigger squeezed and watch those rag dolls dance on the sweet sound of bullets... yaargh!!!

Mini gun - check. Grenades - check. Thermo vision - check. Bring on the pain - check!

Apart from several new weapons (like the laser canon and that experimental-sniper...err, thingy) the biggest addition to the firing arsenal comes in the form of Armored Suit - pansy name for a mech. Though only available on two occasions, the Armored Suit will turn regular action into pure destruction-fest, since you will be practically invincible and able to fire rockets and use 55 mm cannons to erase enemies from existence.

The major flaw of F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin is it's lack of innovation. Apart from the mech battles, several unique enemy types and few "cover" additions (the ability to push objects for cover), the game doesn't exceed it's predecessor in any way. I can even go and say it went several steps backwards in terms of pure enjoyment. First, there's the scattered key logs that are as old as Doom 3's PDA notes. I have no problem with reading texts that complement what I was doing in the first place, but putting distracting notes of irrelevant information isn't just bad practice - it's flow breaking. This becomes painfully obvious if you try and ignore the lot of them, only to find out that one particular information is mandatory for the progress on that particular level.

"Ssstaaaannndddd doooowwwwnnnn... oooohhh cccraaaappp..."

The game also suffers from severe repetition since all you ever do is shoot, shoot some more, find a body armor or med kit, and occasionally throw a grenade to spice things up a bit. Oh, sure, you will be able to experiment with the slow-mo mechanics but it all goes down pretty fast so you won't even bother to improvise.

In terms of visual presentation, Project Origin certainly delivers, though the "WOW" factor of the original is certainly gone. The locations are littered with details that shine out with the help of the superb lightning and shadow effects. NPC and enemy models look sharp and detailed, though their animation might seem a bit too "realistic" at times, especially in an explosive scenario which will negate the effect in your eyes.

When it comes to creating atmosphere, the sound effects in Project Origin are up to the task though, they sometimes miss the real chance to scare your guts due to distractions in form of those god damned enemies. Still, expect a healthy dosage of creepy sounds and voices that will make you question your sanity and decision to play further (at least from time to time).

Overall, F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin may fell like a letdown when compared to the highly appraised original. But I must confess that though I might have felt bored and "sane", there's something more to the game that will drive you to finish it in the end. Sure the story and horror elements have been dumbed down, and the firefights could be compared to any recent game with slow-motion mechanics, but combining those pieces into F.E.A.R experience, and you might get some fun after all.

Resident Evil: the dead advance

2008-11-28T06:55:00.000-08:00

Featuring a brand new movie (Resident Evil: Degeneration), and a sequel to the award winning game from 2005 (Resident Evil 4), the series are definitely digging out of the grave.

To all survival-horror fans out there - rejoice. Capcom, the famous Japanese gaming corporation and Hollywood are throwing a huge party, involving mutated villagers, world conspiracy and the good old, horror action adventure for fans and alike.
The Resident Evil franchise recently added a brand new movie into the collection (Resident Evil: Degeneration), entirely made in CGI technology (first time used in the Final Fantasy movie adaptation of the game). And on March 13, the highly anticipated successor to the 2004 game of the year (RE 4), Resident Evil 5 will hit the stores. Lets have a look at the two Capcom products in more detail.

With the third (and final) part of the trilogy, the Resident Evil adaptation on the big screen has come to an end. The action packed, horror adventure movie flick, featuring Mila Jovovic as the main character, re-introduced the story about the powerful Umbrella Corporation and its experiements with viruses and bio weaponry. The movies themselves however, developed a rather different story line (that the one seen in the game), with invented characters (like Alis) and events. Though the end result was satisfying and both the movie and gaming fans pretty much enjoyed the movies, Capcom decided that it was time to return the series to its roots.

So, the next project was intended to be something different and much more appealing to the game itself. The first step was not to using real actors and standardized filming approach (a practice set by its predecessors). Degeneration would then be entirely made using the CGI (Computer Generated Imagery). Though largely used in computer games, to better represent some in game cinematic sequences, this technology promoted itself with the introduction of yet another game adaptation for the big screen - Final Fantasy: Advent Children.

The story continues 6 years after the disaster that destroyed Raccoon City. The Umbrella Corporation has been shut down for good. However, several incidents involving usage of chemical weaponry in unstable countries, have recently begun to stress the public. Rumors of viruses and a large nuclear incident that nearly destroyed Raccoon City, have brought hard times on the US government.

Meanwhile, Claire Redfield, the female survivor of the Raccoon incident, waits for her companions on the Havardville Airport. While she waits, senator Ron Davis (who is held in on the airport due to major anti-environmental protests) is attacked by a man who has been infected with the T-Virus. The Airport turns into a zombie chase out, and the whole place has been sealed off by the military. The government sends special agent Leon S. Kennedy, also one of the lead figures in past Resident Evil games, to rescue the survivors and find the cause of the infection. As two former companions meet once again to battle the undead, new friends and foes arise to uncover the truth behind this new threat.

Character reunion, interesting plot, strong voice interpretation and decent CG presentation, should be more than enough for gamers and horror fans to stay for the ride. However, the somehow rigid representation of the lead characters and the lowered scale quality of story (when compared to past Resident Evil titles) may not be as appealing to hard core fans to the series.
To help you choose, check the following official trailer of the movie.

One of the most anticipated title for 2009 is Capcom's follow up to the highly successful Resident Evil title from 2004- Resident Evil 5. The game's alpha and beta testings are finished and the company is preparing for its first shipment on March 13. Until then, lets introduce some of the key features that RE5 will bring to the series and the genre.

The story
Ten years after the Raccoon incident, Chris Redfield as one of the leaders in the war against global bio-terrorism, arrives in war-torn Africa, in order to investigate certain findings of the T-Virus. There he teams up with local BSSA representative, Sheva Alamar in order to scour the local surroundings more quickly. However, things start to get out of hand, as native villagers start to express similar symptoms as the Ganados from Resident Evil 4. Chris and Sheva must fight their way through the masses of mutated enemies in order to resolve the dark conspiracy behind the bio outbreak.

Another key figure will make his reappearance in Resident Evil 5, the enigmatic and power hungry Albert Wesker. It is belied that he has made contract with Tricell Corp, an Umbrella-like medical corporation that possesses some of the original samples containing both the T and G virus.

Co-op experience
For the first time in the series, players will be able to play through the entire single player campaign in a co-op mode via split-screen. The option is also available via online link. If there is a lack of one players, the computer AI should compensate and offer enough realism when dealing with hordes of enemies.

RE5 will use the same combat system as its predecessor, though Capcom suggests that there might be a second control scheme for all the players who want to shoot while strafing. The combat itself is still going to be the same horror survival we faced in RE4. However, with the introduction of co-op mode, players can now assist themselves with cover, weapons and ammo or health sprays. The famous melee kicks when an enemy is temporary disabled will be returning as well, with some interesting combo options when using the benefits of team combat.

Aside from the standard arsenal of weapons, Chris and Sheva will be able to fortify themselves against the waves of charging enemies, knocking tables, chairs or parts of the surroundings in order to stop the mutants from tearing them apart. The enemies themselves will offer greater variety, and from what we have already seen, they have some nasty tricks up in their sleeve. There will be a number of boss battles where team work will be essential in order to survive through the encounters.

Next gen graphics
Resident Evil 5 is the first game in the series that made its transition onto the next gen consoles. The transition feels smooth and looks promising. Character models are detailed and seem to implement some advanced facial expressions. Enemies have a large number of polygons and feel more "alive" than ever. The surroundings, varying from dark alleys and open market places, show some incredible lightning and shadow effects and a variety of destructible objects. Perhaps the most promising change will be the transition from light into dark areas, when the screen will try to adjust to the change of lighting (imitating real life effect of the eyes), a perfect way to set up a nasty ambush.

More to be revealed...
... after the official release, when gamers will finally have their copy of the game :) Until then we leave you with this teaser video of Resident Evil 5.

se.zaigri.com - the first Macedonian gaming site

2008-11-16T06:28:00.000-08:00

Within the wake of Macedonian internet society, few dare to experiment by offering something new to the public. The team behind se.zaigri.com tries to brake the ice, by delivering the newest and most interesting information in the gaming industry.

Two months ago, the only way for Macedonian gamers to receive information about their favorite games and the whereabouts of the gaming community, was to browse the foreign web portals. But starting from October, 2008, they finally have the opportunity to read, browse and comment on their shared interests, by visiting the first Macedonian gaming portal

The team working behind this ambitious project, consists of young and enthusiastic people, who see this portal as an opportunity to both entertain and educate the rest of Macedonia's gaming population. Their prime goal is to set the standards for an organized, online gaming community, and invite all players to share interests and achievements from all parts of the world.

By following the highest standards set by the leaders in the field, they team works hard to acquire the best equipment and hardware, to better interpret their experience in their written works. Having in mind that everything should be understandable and fun, their texts are composed for every gamer to understand the meaning.

The structure of se.zaigri.com is organized in several categories, depending on the game platform:

PC
XBOX360
PS3
Wii

Each of this categories consist of several types of sections:

Most popular: Find out what is in and out in the world of gaming, by reading the latest reviews of the games.

Reviews: Section where you can read about the most popular gaming titles in the world.

Previews: The place where you can get a sneak - peak to some of the most anticipated games on the market.

The site also offers:

News: Part from the site that brings the freshest info from the gaming world.

Forum: With a free registration, this option gives you the opportunity to write comments, share ideas and participate in events organized by the site administrators.

The design is simple but accessible, and is furthermore improved with adding videos and screen shots, to back up the variety of texts.

All in all, it is a fine start that should spark the beginning of true gaming in Macedonia.

Review - Half Life 2: Episode Two

2008-11-09T04:15:00.000-08:00

Half Life 2: Episode Two offers the best gameplay experience in the series, along with intense action, terrific story, gorgeous visuals and awesome sound effects.

The Half Life phenomena started at the end of the 20th century, when Valve introduced its action packed, first person shooter to the unsuspecting gaming community. Eight years later, the Half Life brand evolved through a series of successful products including the award winning successor Half Life 2, the world famous Counter Strike and the multilayer focused Team Fortress. And two years after going episodic, the Half Life franchise reaches a new level, with the introduction of the second episode. Although short in length, Half Life 2: Episode 2 offers unmatched Half Life experience, which will leave you begging for more.

The Story so far (and beyound)

[Half Life] Many things have changed since Gordon Freeman had his legendary ride in the Black Mesa delivery train. Following the great catastrophe that torn the facility apart, Freeman was waging a never ending battle with the vile alien intruders, the zombified personnel and the military forces sent to secure the area. Aided by the mysterious G-man, Freeman succeeded in closing the portal between Earth and the border world Zen.

[Half Life 2] But, apparently things didn't turn out as planned. Gordon being put in stasis chamber for unknown number of years, is finally released in the mysterious City 17 by the G-man, in order to help humanity once more. Earth in this apocalyptic future, is assimilated by an alien force, known as the Combine, which turns humans into some ghastly species, programmed to follow their cause. To make matters worse, the leader of the Combine is Doctor Breen, a scientist and former member of the Black Mesa personnel.
Freeman quickly takes matters in his own hands, and aided by his old (Dr. Clainer, Barney Calhoon and Ely Vance) and new (Alyx and Dog) comrades, manages to start a revolution against the common foe. After countless battles, in and outside City 17, Gordon finally manages to defeat Breen in his Citadel, but...

...[Half Life 2: Episode 1] the Combine forces are still present. In a new chain of events, Alyx and Gordon realize that the Combine are trying to establish connecting with their home world to call for aid. In a desperate act to destroy the Citadel, Gordon manages to overflow the reactor of the huge building and thus, lead it to its destruction. In a last minute escape, both he and Alyx manage to catch the train leading outside City 17...

Another train, another beginning

And thus, we arrive at the very beginning of Half Life 2: Episode 2. This time around, the main idea is to get to White Forest, a large rebel base in the nearby mountains.
The explosion that destroyed the Citadel (and most of City 17), has created a huge portal - a gateway from where Combine reinforcements may come through. Gordon has to escort Alyx safely, and make sure that the data package they are caring, do not fall to the nasty hands of the Combine.
With an army marching to intercept them, and a new mountain terrain waiting to be explored, Gordon and Alyx have no other option, but to face "the unforeseen consequences".
The story and setting in Episode 2 make up for a 5 to 6 hours of intense gameplay, though veterans of the series might finish the game in less than 4 hours. The feeling of shortage in length is easly replaced by the repetition value, supported by the superb gameplay.

Gameplay

What made this game so good from the very beginning was the simple and addictive gameplay. As one of the greatest first person shooters, Half Life developed a formula which combined intense action, simple puzzle solving and small cut scenes. Though the action and puzzles got improved greatly over the transition from Half Life to Half Life 2, the real stand out came with the small cut scenes. The game incorporated many events that were happening all around, which made for an incredible, movie like experience. Variations from simple combat between ant-lions, through portal storm, demolition of a bridge or an enormous power core explosion, brings enough amount of special effects, that really deepens the core gameplay even further.

Dog in action

This is probably the biggest reason why Episode 2 feels so alive. From the moment when you take control of Gordon Freeman's actions, you get to feel that you belong to the new surroundings. Never before in a Half Life game, we start to actually care for the other characters, while trying to accomplish some greater goal. Though this may sound a bit idealistic, you just need to try the game on your own, to decide whether this is true or not.

The action itself is stronger then ever. With superb weapons that still posses cool firing sequences, and also, the powerful "feedback" from your opponents, you will never experience Episode 2 as a walk in the park. No matter the level of difficulty you've set to play on, weapons still "feel" realistic and their impact is relevant to what you would expect in a FPS game. Aside from the regular guns and rifles, the uniqueness of the gravity gun comes into play, more then often, for this time around, there are far more toys to play with. Its not wrong to assume that each situation that would require taking several enemies, can be easily resolved using the gravity gun and some explosive barrels. Though gas bottles and explosive barrels pack a lot of punch, you can always use rocks or radiator ribs to get the job done if you want to add some variety to your fighting technique.

Shooting is still both fun and engaging

As from Half Life 2, Alyx still accompanies and aids you in your main quest. In Episode 2, she is again ready to shoot some zombies and Combine soldiers, though her role in this sequel is much different from previous titles. There are some story elements here which we not spoil for you, but lets just mention that Alyx has never been so fragile before.
Other allies will often lend their aid in the fast progression towards White Forest. The most significant being the Vortigaunts, the noble aliens who did not use to be so noble in the original Half Life. These aliens are both powerful and wise, but the most interesting thing about them is their affection towards Gordon Freeman. They will comment every action you make, adding a decent amount of comedy in grim situations.
Human rebels also appear on several locations, adding to the hysteria and comedy to some extent, when dealing with, lets say a swarm of ant-lions.

Vehicles as a new asset to the game made their appearance in Half Life 2, and Episode 2 is a good example in continuation of that practice. Its a great way to separate the "on foot" action and hit and run speedways, but Episode 2 manages to implement them both. With the superb handling and strange absence of mounted firing gun, Gordon's new ride will provide some epic moments on the bumpy road to White Forest.

Mr. Freeman's brand new ride

Enemies

HL2: Episode 2 introduces two new types of enemies into the series. The first, known as "Hunters" are Combine scouts, sent to retrieve the stolen data package from the Citadel. Hunters are fast and deadly, and pack quite the punch. They usually come in packs, using hit and run tactics which can be a real pain, especially if you play on higher level of difficulty.
The second type of brand new enemies are the toxic ant-lions. These green bugs have range attack which fills the victims bloodstream with poison, that can kill in a matter of minutes. They usually attack with the regular ant-lions, aiding them from behind, making it difficult to avoid both melee and range hits at a time.
Other than hunters and the toxic ant-lions, there aren't any new surprises in a form of new enemies. This said, you will have plenty encounters with some of the older buddies, including the heavily armed Combine soldiers, the towering Striders, and the good old zombies. The last have same new surprises, like the kamikaze combine-zombie, that holds a grenade while running to intercept you.

Fast, strong and deadly - the brand new Combine Strider

The enemy AI has somewhat improved, with troops no longer running aimlessly to their doom, or zombies trapping themselves in corners. Soldiers will throw grenades and occasional run for cover, ant-lions will fly to pummel you, and headcrabs will occasionally scare the crap out of you.
There are a few glitches here and there, but in the long run, you won't even bother to notice them.

Graphics

Considering the fact that the Source engine is more than 3 years old, HL2: Episode 2 is still a looker. Some of the newer technologies like the High Range Dynamic Lightning helped things look and feel much better, although even with this options turned off, the game still looks decent.
Friendly character's models are detailed and memorable, as well as the ones used for the enemies. Their movement and actions are fluid and well paced, making the transition through the game feel almost real.
Ever since Gordon and Alyx left City 17, the wild surroundings (including the mountain side) interpreted a significant shift in Half Life scenery. Although there are still some dark corridors and ventilation shafts to dig through, Episode 2 offers some of the best outdoors experience ever seen in a FPS game. The whole environment is highly detailed, varying from tall trees, buildings, photo realistic water, and the occasional burning wreckage.

Green and memorable - the Episode 2 scenery

Music and Sound

Unlike other shooters where every scene is backed up by some music theme, Half Life has always used a different approach. Most of the time you play without any musical background, and every once in a while, when something spooky or significant happens, the music comes into play. And HL2: Episode 2 is no exception to the formula. You will find yourself paying no attention to anything but the action, when suddenly some cool rhythm backs you up. It can really make you experience the action on a whole new level.
The sound is flawless as expected, with many of the retro effects appearing here and there, including the tough rumble of flying bullets and the always imposing explosions for your ears. The satisfaction doubles when using headphones or 5.1 surround system, which takes you in the center of the sound battlefield. Voice interpretation is theme of the series, and is still top notch. Each actor delivers enough personality in each character, whether friend or foe, and certainly backs up the positive atmosphere.

While waiting for Half Life 3...

Summary

Half Life 2: Episode 2 follows up to the incredible success of the series, providing even more exciting new features, lots of action, and mystery that will make you came back while waiting for the next title. Though it might feel a little short, it is still fun to play and has enough memorable moments, creating a huge repetition value.
Suffice to say, this is one Half Life, you have to play, no matter what the G-man might say :)

WCG 2008 finals draw near

2008-11-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

In Addition to the Fast Paced International Tournament, Fans and Attendees Can Participate in Events and Activities from the Wide Variety of Partners Including Samsung, Microsoft, Philips amBX and AMD.

NEW YORK, NY, October 27, 2008 - World Cyber Games (WCG), the recognized leader for global video game competitions, has begun preparations for the highly anticipated Grand Finals taking place November 5-9 in Cologne, Germany, about 800 of the world's best gamers and thousands of spectators will descend upon the city to partake in the world's most prestigious video game event. WCG has announced that its partners including Samsung, Microsoft, Philips amBX and AMD will offer attendees numerous activities that will entertain them in between the heated tournament competition.

''In order to make the most successful Grand Final ever, fans and attendees will have the opportunity to view the highest level of products from our partners who exemplify the best in gaming today and have the opportunity to win great prizes,'' said Hyoung-Seok Kim, CEO of International Cyber Marketing, organizer of the WCG. ''While taking a break from the high level of competition at the Grand Final, everyone will be able to enjoy a wide variety of events and activities.''

Samsung Sports World will feature popular sports including soccer, golf, NASCAR, fencing, field hockey and horse jumping in virtual and real-life forms as they offer sports fans a wide variety of engaging activities. In addition, Samsung Sports World give players the opportunity to win prizes for scoring goals, hitting the longest drive or getting closest to the hole in one-on-one and group competition. Next to contest in fair Olympic Games, World Cups or eSport's Grand Final, sportsman make friends worldwide and support the intercultural exchange while taking part in tournaments. That is why Samsung is sponsor of the Olympic Games, of one of the most polular NASCAR races on the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth and the English professional soccer club Chelsea FC.

Microsoft Xbox 360 will showcase a variety of blockbuster game titles and give fans the opportunity to win great prizes and giveaways. Budding rock stars can demonstrate their skills on the Xbox 360 Music Stage featuring titles such as Rock Band, Guitar Hero World Tour and the German debut of Lips. Sports titles and family friendly games are available for all audiences, while gamers over 18 years old can venture inside the Xbox Dome to play mature titles, assuring that Xbox fans of any age will have something to look forward to in Cologne.

Philips amBX, which has revolutionized the PC entertainment experience by taking it out of the screen and into the real world through a series of peripherals including LED lights, rumble strips, fans and more, will feature the ‘amBX Cup Challenge.' In the unique event, competitors will battle it out on Guitar Hero III for amazing prizes. Open to all Grand Final attendees, this walk-up challenge will feature oversized amBX peripherals on the Philips stage that will create a concert feel through light- and special effects unique to the amBX experience. Those attendees not wanting to compete in the ‘amBX Cup Challenge' can visit the booth for a sneak peek at fully amBX enabled titles such as Far Cry 2 and Legendary.

AMD, the leading global provider of innovative processing solutions in the computing, graphics and consumer electronics markets, will feature demos and hands-on with its top-of-the-line peripherals and the official AMD PC that improves gameplay and provides superior performance for gamers and fans alike.

With well over one million players from more than 70 countries, the World Cyber Games is widely regarded as video gaming's premier tournament. Featuring online and offline events held throughout the world, the year-long WCG series attracted more than 1.5 million competitors worldwide in 2007. The 2007 WCG Grand Final in Seattle, Washington broke new ground as more than 29 million people tuned in to watch the competition unfold in real-time, marking the largest global, live satellite broadcast for an e-Sports event. Additionally, the World Cyber Games was recently recognized by Guinness World Records for the World's Largest Video Game Competition with over 1.5 million competitors worldwide.

All winners are listed here

For the official rankings click here

And if you want to find out more about this year's WCG, visit this link, for tons of content (pictures, full video coverage and more).

Preview - Alan Wake

2008-11-02T12:38:00.000-08:00

Players’ world wide will have the opportunity to experience fear on a whole new level. Remedy’s new promising horror action adventure game delivers horror, mystery and shooting, supported by great story and stunning visuals.

There has been certain stagnation in the horror genre for the past several years. Though some new titles like Gears of War, Alone in the Dark and Dead Space delivered some extraordinary atmosphere and fast paced action, the entire concept of horror hasn’t been brought to a higher level. But that’s about to change.

Remedy, the famous Swedish gaming developer, best known for its Max Payne franchise, has been developing a brand new horror title for 4 years now. Though we were introduced with the title and the basic elements only recently, the shown was more than convincing.

Story and setting

Alan Wake is going to be a horror action adventure game with a unique story and setting. The main character, by which the game is named, is a best selling author of horror novels. He writes books based on the horrifying nightmares he sees when the lights go off. However, a tragedy changes his life, when his fiance goes missing. In order to deal with his loss, Wake moves to a desolate little town of Bright Falls.

Alan Wake - a writer doomed to see his horror novels coming alive

From there on, things go from bad to worse. Alan finds himself unable to dream anymore, and fails to continue his writings. But that’s just the beginning. He realizes that some of the horrors he witnessed in his nightmares have started to appear around him. Once the sun goes down, strange creatures start to appear in the vicinity, making him question his sanity. To top it all off, he captures sightings of his fiance, calling for him. Days grow shorter and night threatens to overwhelm the peaceful town, and Alan is the only one who can solve the mystery.

Gameplay

Alan Wake incorporates both adventure and action elements into its formula, though the accent is put not on shooting but on finding ways of staying alive. The primary element the game introduces is the usage of light. While safe and sound during the day, players will engage in much different setting during the night. The horror’s from Alan’s novels only come to life in the darkness, so in order to avoid them, players will have to stick to the light. This is not going to be easy, because as the game progresses, the duration of the day will grow shorter.

"Something terrible lingers within the darkness"

The shooting part will be limited due to the usage of flash light, so don't expect shotguns or anything similar. Revolvers and the popular 9mm still do j Its still unclear whether melee attacks will be included in the fighting mechanics, which is only a speculation (but, in this case a welcomed one).

In order to progress in the game, there will be plenty of objectives to complete which will involve talking to the local townsfolk and exploring locations on variety of places. Quests will be regularly updated in Alan's journal, highlighting the current onto the screen.

The town of Bright Falls and the surrounding woods will provide an ample opportunity for players to explore and find clues, and will also contain safe locations during the night. The town itself looks very similar to the TV show’s Twin Peaks. This is fair concept, which looks flawlessly and makes quite an impact if the player has seen the series.

The looks

Despite the fact that its in development for more then 4 years now, Alan Wake still looks great. Though several modifications are made even now in order to keep up with the competition, the lightning effects, the natural night/day cycle, and the gorgeous outdoors still make this game look eye candy. The town with all its buildings, structures and vehicles look top notch, due to insane number of textures constructing it. Character models, especially Alan's look great, encompassed by face animations and a huge amount of polygons. But, perhaps the greatest asset of them all is clearly the shadows. A true horror game cannot bring a horrifying atmosphere without the usage of shadows, which Alan Wake seems to deliver best. Enhanced by the artificial sun during the day, and the moon during the night, shadows are making this game more alive and frightening than anything we have faced before.

From dusk till dawn, Alan Wake' style

To put it all together, Alan Wake look really promising. The interesting story, innovative gameplay, and the still great visuals add up great to the expectations. The only thing that starts to bother all the gaming community are the constant delays, coming from Remedy themselves. As of late, there are rumors saying that Alan Wake will ship for ship this November for the PC's, followed by a X360 release in early 2009. Be this true or not, Alan Wake is sure to provide some interesting atmosphere to boil the blood, once more.

Introduction

2008-10-25T04:02:00.000-07:00

Hail!
I have created this blog in order to write both reviews and comments on popular computer games, based on my extensive knowledge in the area of gaming and writing.
I hope to find many "brothers and sisters in arms' with whom I could share the love and creativity towards the "entertaining industry", and also, improve the quality of my writings through both positive and negative criticism.
Well, that will be enough for starters... let the games begin :)